


Escape from Colthersea Castle.

by One_Real_Imonkey



Series: The Colthersea Series. [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Post-Season/Series 03, Pre-Season/Series 04, round table
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-01-15 10:03:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18496698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/One_Real_Imonkey/pseuds/One_Real_Imonkey
Summary: An ambush during a hunting trip leaves Merlin, Gwen, Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in a life or death situation, but with no sign of their captors minus a few guards, more questions than answers are raised.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Between s3 and s4. Knights are now knighting etc. Merwaine. Arwen or Gwenlot I’m not sure yet but it’s background. If you have a preference Arwen or Gwenlot put it in the comments and I'll tally it for part 2. I don’t think there’s anything else to put in here, so... please enjoy.  
> oh, yeah, I don't own Merlin.

****Merlin woke with a gasp.

_“We need to hurry, we have our supplies, we have to get out before they find us.”_  

Damn, he thought, more Druids in the city. At least these ones didn’t seem a threat. They just wanted supplies. 

He let himself slump back against his pillow, sunlight just beginning to light the sky outside his window. 

At least he wouldn’t be late for Arthur. 

He listened quietly as the druids escaped the city, a small smile flickering onto his face at the thought that some of his kin had made it away unharmed. 

It was going to be a good day. 

Once the sun had risen, he made his way to the kitchens before wandering up to Arthurs room. The routine was embedded: tray on the table, open the curtains, yell, “Rise and shine”, duck. 

And then Arthur announced he’d decided he wanted to go for a hunt. 

Round table only. 

Gaius had declined with an apology but no-one had expected him to come, not when there was a sickness in the lower town and three women due to give birth within the weeks end. 

Gwaine, Leon, Elyan, Percival, Lancelot and Gwen had all agreed. And Merlin had no choice. As per usual. 

They'd set out about midday with provision and plans to be away for long weekend.  

It'd been pretty peaceful actually, for the first few days, with casual chatter and Arthur flirting with Gwen to break up the silence. He'd mostly hung back with Gwaine and Lancelot talking about whatever came to mind, sharing stories. They were all careful not to mention magic, but he was comfortable with them, knowing they were the only ones in the group to know and that they wouldn't betray him. 

Then Lancelot had ridden forwards to talk with Percival and left the two of them alone. 

Gwaine had worked his magic out from the day they’d met, apparently noticing the flying plates everyone else missed. He hadn't asked but had waited instead. Apparently Grettir had confirmed it talking about strength and magic. Gwaine had finally asked in the Perilous Lands and with his acceptance Merlin had found more than just another ally.  

Gwaine had been forced to leave him, of course, but they’d stayed in contact. 

Merlin couldn’t deny, some days it was one of the only things keeping him going. 

And, for all that Lancelot was the older friend and the first to know, he was closer to Gwaine, for more reasons than one. Gwaine, he could relate too. They both had secrets, some of which were remarkably similar.  

And Lance was far too noble to flirt with him. Gwaine had no such qualms. Everyone thought it was a long running joke, and it was, because Gwaine was far more romantic than anyone else but he would ever know. 

The idea of courting someone had seemed inconceivable for most of his life; and then he’d met someone he liked and they’d been forced to leave. In the Perilous Lands he’d found his feelings were reciprocated, right after revealing his magic. It'd been a weird day. 

They couldn’t court while Gwaine was away, but not all the letters sent and received had been tales of how their weeks had been. Some had been romantic; some had been filled with longing; some had been pieces of poetry (because apparently Gwaine was also a poet); some had been downright lewd.  

After the fiasco with saving Camelot, Gwaine had been allowed to stay, and longing missives had been replaced by sneaking flowers and then kisses and then more. 

And people said Gwaine wasn’t a gentleman. 

Well, he did have a reputation for drinking and flirting but he also had a reputation for never staying in one place more than a week. Things had changed now. 

No-one but Lancelot and Gaius knew, and they planned for it to stay that way for a while. 

They were waiting for Arthur to propose to Gwen first. 

Their conversation was broken by an arrow going through the neck of Merlin’s horse. Also broken were at least one of Merlin’s ribs and perhaps his wrist as he hit the earth, the weight of his horse on top of him barely a second after. 

He knew he wold be lucky to come out anything other than majorly injured; he’d seen for too many men with Gaius paralysed or killed by a horse on top of them, or having broken legs and hips and other bones. 

“Merlin!” 

Still, he couldn't move. 

Or breathe, really. 

“Ambush!” 

“Take Cover!” 

Apparently, their attackers had left their cover to fight by swords instead. Battle echoed around him as he tried to pull himself out from under his horse’s corpse. 

Then hands found themselves under his arms and pulled him out from under the horse and behind a tree. 

His eyes met Percival's. 

“Are you alright?” 

“I... I think so.” 

All he could focus on was the pain, his head spinning and limbs burning. He couldn’t even work out where it was coming from, just that it radiated and rippled and oh, it was the only thing left. 

He didn’t notice their being overwhelmed and forced to surrender. 

Not their being bound and lead forwards at sword point. 

Percival's grip on his arm had been the only thing keeping him focused as the world was spun and spots danced in his eyes. It was the only thing grounding him to reality. To consciousness. 

It was wrenched away cruelly. 

He blacked out. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't own this one.

Percival had been admittedly distracted with talking with Lancelot when it had started. And because of that, he cursed, he’d been slow to react. 

They're been a yell and thud from behind and Gwaine had yelled, “Merlin!” and Lancelot, reacting faster than him, had yelled “Ambush!” and while he was trained to react quickly, he had to admit his confusion had caused him to pause for a second. Perhaps a second to long. 

An arrow had sailed into the tree next to him and he’d been shocked into action. 

“Take cover!” Arthur had yelled, and then their attackers had revealed themselves, most of them having swords not crossbows. 

Unlike the rest of them though, he didn’t draw his own. Merlin had been hurt, apparently, and he had to make sure his friend was well. 

Merlin looked awful. 

Oh gods, he’d wanted to yell, oh gods please don’t be dead. 

Merlin was crumpled under his horse, and there was so much blood. The horse was dead. Merlin, he’d prayed, was not. 

With Lancelot covering them, he had reached under Merlin’s arms and pulled him from under the horse, thankful the mud was soft enough for him to do so. 

Hidden behind an oak, one he happily leant Merlin against, he could finally check on the smaller man. 

Eyes met his, unfocused and half-lidded, but aware none the less. 

His shoulders dropped with a smile flitting onto his lips before the sounds of battle echoes out again. He saw more and more bandits emerging. They'd soon be over run. 

“Are you alright?” 

They weren’t winning the fight; he’d need to be ready to escape. 

“I... I think so.”  

It wasn’t good and he wasn’t sure Merlin was telling the truth, but they had no time. 

Eventually, they had been overwhelmed. He wondered whether he should’ve been fighting instead, but it was too late for that now. 

He and the other knights were stripped of their weapons and bags, meaning they were completely at their enemies' mercy. Merlin was torn from his grasp and shoved to the ground, where he failed to rise again. 

“Merlin!” 

There was far too much blood. 

Percival wasn’t too focused on Merlin to notice Gwaine being knocked out by the bandits after fighting a little too hard for their tastes, or perhaps it was the obscenities he was yelling. 

Did he really think they were being discrete? 

He knew that there was more than a friendship between Merlin and Gwaine. He wasn’t going to mention it before they did, but he wasn’t blind. But now it meant two of his friends were unconscious and that made any escape that much more difficult. 

They were led for hours through the forest before they stopped in a clearing. Merlin and Gwaine were dumped by the brutes that had been carrying them. 

The trees rustled and maybe 60 men emerged to surround them, led by a man wearing far finer clothes than his companions, red formalwear with silver embroidery and embellishments. 

“Swefe.” (Sleep). 

He didn’t feel the earth as he hit it. 

. 

. 

. 

Gwaine woke with a pounding headache. 

He remembered the heart-wrenching panic when Merlin had vanished from beside him in the ambush. Remembered the bandits winning, blades at the necks of each of the knights as their bags and weapons were apprehended. 

He remembered them wrench a blood covered, half conscious Merlin from Percival's grasp, tossing him to the ground not at all gently. Merlin didn’t get up. 

He'd been enraged, wrestling his way out of his captors' grasps, desperate to get to Merlin. 

Something had made contact with the side of his head. 

He raised a hand and found his head was sticky with blood. 

“You with us Gwaine?” 

“Wha? Oh yeah? I’m awake.” 

Hands helped him into a sitting position and he cracked his eyes open. Well, tried too. Only one actually opened, the other was swollen shut. 

“Whoa. I mean... uhhh...” 

“Really, El? I doubt it looks that bad.” 

“Sorry,” the knight in question sounded sheepish, “but that’s one hell of a bruise.” 

“Yeah,” he agreed, “it feels like it.” 

He screwed his eyes shut before opening them again, squinting in the light.  

Elyan, Gwen, Percival, Arthur, Leon, Lancelot, Mer... no. 

“Where’s Merlin?” 

“We don’t know. He’s not in here.” 

“Ok... ok...” he took a deep breath, “What’s the plan, Princess?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arwen vs Gwenlot and other ships vote open.  
> Hope you enjoyed, please R+R if you want to.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own, still.

Merlin woke in almost complete darkness.

The light from a grate in the roof did very little to illuminate the room, but he didn’t dare use magic to light it any further. He didn’t know who was watching or where his friends were.

He pressed his hand against his torso with a small measure of pressure, feeling along his ribs. They were mostly bruised, not broken, but damn did they hurt.

He also had a hell of a lot of pain radiating from his left wrist and shoulder. He didn’t think either were broken, but he was pretty sure his shoulder was dislocated. His left leg was also sore, but again undamaged in any real way.

He was stripped down to his top and trousers, his shoes, socks, jacket and neckerchief missing. Even his concealed knife had been taken.

He shuffled over to the wall with intentions to slump against it, when he heard something clank.

Wait, what?

His uninjured hand slipped down to his ankle to find a manacle, thick and engraved with runes, anti-magic runes. How could they know? He followed the chain to where it met the wall. It was long enough that he would be able to walk around the whole cell without it catching, but still restraining him.

There were two holes in the cell that he could see, only one was large enough to fit a human, and neither were accessible.

The vent on the ceiling was more than five times his height above him, way out of his reach, and the second was knee to mid - thigh height if he was standing. But it was very much sealed, with large metal bolts about three fingers apart from each other all the way around it , and far too small for him to fit through .

He ran his hand around it, eventually finding a trail at the bottom. It was sludge and... seaweed?

He stumbled backwards, realising the floor was not just cold but damp against his bare feet, and in looking up, he saw a definite line, even in the dark. Was that smell salt?

Oh gods.

This cell was tidal.

They were going to drown him.

He sank back against the wall pressing his eyes closed and letting his eyes fall closed.

He had to find a way out.

He didn’t mean to fall back  asleep .

His head just spun so damn much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one's short.  
> Please R+R.  
> Thank you to everyone who has already reviewed and/or voted.  
> Vote still open, currently:  
> Arwen- 2  
> Gwenlot-1  
> Also thank you Simthemuse who suggested Arwenlot. I'm not planning on it but it made my day to know that straight to poly was the idea someone had. Just, straight there. Why AB or AC when you can ABC.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own.  
> Also, thanks for all the reviews so far, they mean a lot.

They didn’t have a plan, not beyond: get out of these manacles, get out of the cell, find Merlin, get out.

That was not really a plan.

Arthur was glad Percival had imparted his knowledge of their manacles being magically restrictive, probably just a safeguard and not for them specifically, but that they were also reinforced. They couldn’t break out of them by brute force alone. It wasn’t much, but it could be useful. And it proved they had a sorcerer as their captor.

Of course, that was when  Gwaine  had fiddled with his cloak, ripping of the button used to attach it for wearing, and revealing it had a metal bar that was used to sew it on. He then promptly used that button to pick the lock, his manacle clicking at it unlocked.

“Ok, so  Gwaine’s  out, mind freeing the rest of us.”

“Hello?”

He froze, knowing he wasn’t the only one in the group to do so, eyes trailing to the vent in the floor of their cell.

That was...

 “Merlin?”

“Arthur, are you alright, where are the others?”

“Merlin.” the prince knew he visibly sighed in relief, “we’re all here, we’re ok. Are you?”

“Sort of.”

“Are you down there?”

“Considering you’re above me, I'm going to say yes.”

Merlin’s voice was  echoey , he was probably very far below them, but Arthur wasn’t near enough the grate to check.

“Ok, we found Merlin,  Gwaine  get these off us, work out how to get the door off, we’ll...”

“Arthur there’s something I think you should know...”

“We’ll have to split up to find the entrance to Merlin’s cell.”

“Arthur, you’re sitting by the only entrance to my cell.”

He faltered, “What?”

“My cell is really tall, and that grate is the only way out, but...”

“Ok,” Arthur was already reforming his plan, “we get rope, we lower it down, Merlin can climb up...”

“What if he’d chained up too?”

Leon, the voice of reason. 

“We lower someone down, they can free Merlin, then both come up.”

“Guys?”

“Where do we get the rope?”

“Hey!”

They all fell silent, turning back to the grate. 

“Does it help you to know we’re by the coast?”

There was a beat of silence before Gwen asked, “How do you know we’re by the coast?”

“There’s seaweed on the floor of my cell and I can smell the salt and this cell has a tideline.”

They were left in an ominous silence, all coming to terms with what Merlin was implying.

“ Plus,  you know the water’s up to my knees and I was dry earlier,  sooo , yeah.”

“Ok, Merlin can get out when the water is high enough.”

“Merlin,” he looked over to see  Gwaine  at the grate looking down, “are you chained up?”

“Yeah. I'm not sure whether there’s enough chain for me to stay above the tideline, or if I can swim that long. Not with my ribs and shoulder the way they are.”

Damn.

There was a splash from below and  Gwaine  snorted, “Did you just trip?”

“Uhh, can I say no? Gods its cold. Could you hurry this up, please?”

Their plans were just going to have to move up the schedule a bit.

.

.

.

Merlin had woken when the water had started rising, the sound of the water rushing in far louder than he had expected, echoing in the large cell. Only once it had surpassed the height of the vent did it quieten, allowing him to hear the voices above him.

His friends.

It almost distracted from his immanent death sentence.

Almost.

It wasn’t long before he couldn’t touch the ground anymore. Forced to tread water to stay above the waterline. There was no purchase on the walls.

He was cold and exhausted, even before the water started rising. 

It just kept rising.

“Merlin, you have to keep swimming.”

“ Gwa’ ?”

“It’s going to be a long night, but you have to keep yourself afloat, please.”

“ S’c’ld .”

“We’re going to get you out. I promise.”

He kept on swimming.

He was just so tired, and his limbs burnt, and he just wanted to give up and stop this because was it really worth the...

A gulp of salty water shocked his eyes open again and he choked and spat, forcing himself back above the surface of the water. 

It'd been hours. He was now close enough to the top of the cell that he could see his friends through the grate, not just shadows but faces. Worried faces.

“Merlin, when you’re high enough, reach for the bars, we can hold you up for a while. Let you rest.”

Did he... know that voice? He did. It was... was... Leon. It was Sir Leon.

He just didn’t have the strength to answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't plan on adding Arwenlot. It will be either Arwen (2) or Gwenlot (1).


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait but here is the next chapter.  
> I don't own etc.

“Merlin, when you’re high enough, reach for the bars, we can hold you up for a while. Let you rest.” 

Leon was worried by the lack of response. Merlin only needed to hold out a little longer but it had been hours already and truthfully, it was amazing he’d kept himself afloat for as long as he had. 

Merlin was always full of surprises. 

And then a pale hand reached through the bar. 

He didn’t hesitate to grab the hand, breath hitching as it nearly slipped from his grip. 

He managed to hold on. He knew it would be hell on Merlin’s shoulders, but it was better than letting him drown.  

And safe in the hands of the Knights, Merlin dozed off. Or passed out, Leon wasn’t sure. 

They'd worked most of the screws off the grate, but getting it off was going to be more difficult, especially now they had to hold Merlin up through it. They had no idea when the water would begin to drop again, or if Merlin would be able to survive that. It would be several hours more swimming to endure, and he could feel how cold it was from Merlin’s skin. 

“Hey, Merlin, wake up.” 

It was Gwaine. 

Gwaine, who he was sure was closer to Merlin than just a good friend. 

“Wha?” 

“Merlin, you’re going to have to swim for a bit so we can get this grate off.” 

“B’ m’ ch’n’d.” 

“Yeah, but someone can come down with you and hold you up, so you don’t have to swim.” 

Leon had to admit it was a good idea, and he wondered who’d thought of it. 

He hated letting go of his friend, but Gwaine was right. This plan was their best bet. 

Then Gwaine had pulled off his chainmail and both his shirts. Then, his trousers. 

Gwaine jumped in. 

He wasn’t expecting that. 

But he didn’t stay on the surface. Percival and Lancelot had taken over holding Merlin up and Gwaine was beneath the water and Leon had to wonder what part of the plan he’d missed. 

Then Gwaine resurfaced, “Pull him up." 

He'd broken the cuff. 

It took Leon, Pericval and Lancelot to pull them both out of the water, and Leon could see Gwaine already shaking with the cold. 

And Merlin was in their cell. 

God, he looked awful. 

Leon was happy to hand over his cloak to give it to Merlin to help him dry off and warm up. 

Other than that, he was willing to back off and join Elyan and Gwen on watch. They'd decided the only reason they hadn’t seen their captors was because they were waiting for Merlin to die to break their spirits. Once the tide went down, they’d need to hurry but every second now Merlin was out of his cell was dangerous. 

The rest of the group were helping Merlin warm up, and Gwaine, but mostly Merlin. They’d used cloaks to dry him and he was re-dressed in one of Gwaines shirts. Arthur soon joined them on the other side of the cell, ready to work out how to get out. 

“Can we move Merlin like this?” 

“We have to. Don’t worry, we’ll have someone keeping him warm at all times, and once we get out, we can warm him up properly.” 

“I already broke the lock, so whenever we’re ready.” 

All eyes went to Gwen, who smiled. 

“What, I've had to learn some skills over the years.” 

. 

. 

. 

Merlin shivered behind him. Percival was carrying Merlin on his back so he’d be able to wield a weapon and fight if necessary. He wasn’t sure if it was doing much to help him stay warm.  

He knew that was a good thing, because before he’d been too cold to shiver, but he wasn’t awake yet and they needed to hurry. 

Gwaine was upright and sneaking with them but he was also shivering. 

If Gwaine was shivering after minutes, how was Merlin alive after hours? 

He was oddly reminded of the events before they were captured, and they weren't out the enemy territory yet. He suddenly wondered how long they’d been missing. 

With fury burning through them, none of their opponents stood a chance. The Knights were not forgetting the sorcerer, and he was pretty sure it would be a battle between Arthur and Gwaine for the right to kill him. Especially if he was their leader, like they thought. 

But, by luck or by fate, they found the room with their packs and weapons, quickly grabbing everything they owned, including Merlin’s missing shoes, jacket and his neckerchief, which Arthur wanted to leave behind, but Gwen convinced them to bring anyway. 

He was pretty sure Gwaine stole a knife from somewhere too, because he’d never seen it before. 

They made it into the forest uninterrupted, and it was only just as they made it into the treeline that the warning bells started ringing. 

Arthur called it Colthersea, an old coastal stronghold that had been used for trading before a better fort was built in a stronger location. 

They were a day and a half away from Camelot.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vote still up.  
> Please R+R.  
> Also, I know this seems a little anti climactic, but there's a long way to go before this is over.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: no own-y by me.

* * *

Merlin woke freezing and curled up against a warm body.

If it wasn't for the cold, he might not have questioned anything, because it was definitely Gwaine he was curled against. He knew the sleeping form too well.

He was so cold.

He let his eyes fall shut again.

.

.

.

After hours and hours of running, they stopped to make camp.

They were quite a way away from Colthersea and as far as they knew they'd lost the bandits, taking a shortcut through a cave system and over a lake, paying the ferryman generously not to tell anyone they were here.

Lancelot had ended up with firewood duty alongside Leon. Gwen had cooking duty, Arthur was on watch and Elyan and Percival were asleep. He and Leon were also on watch, but it was called firewood duty because if they needed more firewood they were the ones to go.

Gwaine was half sitting half lying near the fire, with Merlin lying curled into him. He wasn't sure if Gwaine was asleep but Merlin definitely was. The fire was built to be roaring, because they needed the warmth, because attracting danger was worth the risk.

Merin would not last the journey back to Camelot, would not last the night, if they could not warm him up. He now had his jacket on, and a spare pair of trousers, but he was still wearing Gwaine's shirt. The rouge had joked to him that he wasn't giving Merlin his knife back until he got his shirt back, but that Merlin didn't need it at the moment anyway.

He just shook his head and smiled.

Besides Gwaine got a chance to curl up with Merlin without it being obvious.

He knew they'd be trading off 'warming up Merlin' duty throughout the night like they did all their duties, but for now it was nice to see them relaxed together.

There were a few false alarms through the night, but no actual attacks. He'd traded with Gwaine, and Arthur had then taken his place, followed by Percival. He was glad to see the blue hue of Merlin's lips had left with the night, leaving them their usual hue.

He still looked a mess, but he was a better mess than yesterday. Hopefully, once he slept off his exhaustion and coldness, he'd be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, vote still open for ships (including any others you'd like to see).
> 
> Please R+R.
> 
> Sorry again when chapters are short. They feel longer when I'm writing them.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter of book one. This will be followed by a preview for book 2 and then that book.  
> I don't own. Please enjoy.

Gwen was exhausted. Unlike the men, she wasn’t used to this whole being taken captive and nearly dying thing. Sure, she did it more than most of the other servants in the castle, especially since Morgana had turned, but she knew Merlin did this all the time, as did the Knights.

Merlin, nearly dying again. 

It stressed her out more than the knights, she was certain, because she knew what they didn’t. 

Merlin was also Arthur’s bodyguard, except even the Prince didn’t know it.

It was the worst kept secret within the lower classes in the castle, but they were all willing to keep it from the upper classes, because they were the ones always trying to commit treason or some other crime. 

So, no-one batted an eyelid when Merlin turned up injured, or got into a fight in front of them. No-one hesitated to step in and help Merlin with his chores after a fight had gone down. 

They were also all willing to help provide an alibi for the man. 

They wanted to protect the prince as much as anyone, and they’d lend a hand where they could. He wasn’t willing to let them fight, but if he gave them a tip to help get people out the way, no-one ignored it. They didn’t know how he did it, just that he did.

They all also kept an ear out, because no-one noticed a servant, and gave him all the info he could get. He had a veritable army of informants and assistants and no-one would know until it was too late for their evil plot.

Actually, she was pretty sure  Gwaine  knew, but she was pretty sure there was more between  Gwaine  and Merlin than anyone knew, so that wasn’t surprising.

But her role in that was listening out and passing information along. Not actually getting into danger. And she was exhausted because of it.

They had a quick breakfast before departing, Merlin now normal colour but still not awake. 

After about an hour they met up with a Camelot patrol who guarded them back to the citadel.

And it was over. 

Merlin was on his way to Gaius, accompanied by herself,  Gwaine  and Lancelot. The rest of the group went to the council room to organise a group to take down the group camped in  Colthersea  and the sorcerer. 

She knew  Gwaine  would be joining them, if he could. He would never let something happen to Merlin.

She knew it wasn’t really over though. She had a feeling in her gut. The Patrol had said they’d left Camelot 6 days before they were found, leaving 2 full days unaccounted for in all their diaries.

2 days of hunting. 

2 days of escaping.

2 full days they must have been asleep for, or worse. 

She knew that just because you had no memory of something, didn’t mean nothing bad had happened.

It just meant they wouldn’t be prepared when it reared its head further down the line.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll update with Book 2 when I can. There may be a delay though.  
> Please R+R.


	8. Preview for Dreaming of Colthersea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait.  
> Disclaimer- Don't own.  
> Please enjoy.

“Th... they escaped sir, exactly as you asked.” 

“Good.” 

“They had the serving boy; I... I think he was... uhh... still alive.” 

“Damn, that is unfortunate.” 

“Does it stop our... I mean, your plans?” 

“The plan will still work; he bears no consequence in the long run.” 

“Still... I... are you sure it’s wise, sir? I mean, of course, you know best, and it’s your plan, and I'm sure you’ve thought this through and all, but supposing they...” 

“They what? They remember what we did? They realise they didn’t actually get away without a problem?” 

“Well, they aren’t entirely stupid. Surely, they’ll notice the missing days?” 

“Notice them, yes. Remember them, not yet.” 

“You mean they will remember what happened?” 

“Of course. It's all part of the plan. They’ll play right into my hands.”   

“But... I mean... uhhh...” 

“Don't you worry. Just... get your men into their positions and don’t mess up, I've worked too hard and for too long for this to fail. I will get my crown and I will get my victory.” 

“Y... yes sir.” 

“Oh, and tell Hefin, it’s time for him to do his job.” 

The Bandit leader nodded and backed out of the room, leaving his master to their thoughts. 

The sorcerer turned to their scrying dish, rubbing his hands over the side of the marble bowl. The water inside rippled slightly, before settling over a campsite. 

A large fire had been constructed, the woman of the group cooking some sort of meal. He sneered slightly, having never cared for rank. Maybe the knights would be better cooks than a serving girl who was probably more shaken up that them about all of this. Two of the knights were putting down more firewood in a stack near her, then joining the prince on watch. 

The other knights were all asleep, one of them holding the other servant tight.  

The damned traitorous bastard looked dead, and it was something more than worth grinning about. 

They'd make it back to Camelot tomorrow, and the next part of the plan would begin. 

His hand slashed through the water and broke the image. 

“You will pay Arthur Pendragon, I will have my revenge. Your thrice damned Fireheart can’t protect you forever.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Votes are closed. Winner will become clear in Dreaming of Colthersea.

**Author's Note:**

> Arwen or Gwenlot preferences and other ship preferences in the comments please. I will tally them and add depending on interest (nothing with Merlin or Gwaine please, because that ship is already there).


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